9. Fernando Alonso

Why He Matters: Lead driver of the biggest team in motorsport and hunting world title No. 3.

It says a lot that for a country dominated by millionaire footballers, Fernando Alonso is one of the country’s most famous sportsmen. That he drives for the biggest team in the history of the sport magnifies his popularity and "Alonsomania" is now a term among his fans following his back-to-back title wins for Renault. Should Alonso win a third drivers’ title he will join an elite group of only nine drivers to have done so.